Think of the states as dominoes lined up one by one. When the first domino topples, it leads to a chain reaction that causes most, if not all, of the others to fall. That’s what has happened, and continues to happen, with state legalization of marijuana. The timeline for marijuana legalization in the U.S. shows how those dominoes keep falling.

Alan was disoriented and his words were not making sense. His wife thought he might be having a stroke, so she took him to the emergency room where he was seen by the on-call neurologist. When asked, Alan admitted to using cannabis on a regular basis for many years. The neurologist then brought him a printout with the title: “Marijuana Use Associated with Increased Risk of Stroke, Heart Failure.” That was when I got the call asking me if this was for real.

With more conservative states such as Oklahoma, Arkansas, Utah, and North Dakota taking steps to legalize cannabis, Texas feels increasingly like an outlier. Though some lawmakers have been showing signs that they’re ready to move forward on the issue, the state faces unique challenges that could continue to hold it back.

Countries pursuing cannabis reforms have been giving the United Nations something to think about when it comes to drug policy. The UN is an organization that was established to encourage and promote international cooperation on a variety of topics. When founded in 1945, only 51 countries were members, now, in 2017 193 of the 195 countries in the world are members. The mission of the United Nations is to maintain international peace, protect human rights, the environment, encourage social and economic development as well as provide humanitarian aid in times of crisis. Beyond those goals, the UN has also defined protocols influencing the framework of international drug policy.

Ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, Texans will be seeing — and hearing — a lot of campaign ads. But, on top of the typical election year barrage of political commercials, some rural Texans will also be seeing a very different kind of ad.

Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy is proud to be hosting the first statewide Texas Marijuana Policy Conference. We’ll kick it off with a Friday night reception featuring a special musical performance. On Saturday and Sunday, you’ll hear from legislators, political operatives, attorneys, health-care professionals, celebrities, veterans, patients, and other advocates. Attendees will also have the option of dining with our special guests for lunch on Saturday and Sunday, as well as a banquet on Saturday night.
Find full conferenceagenda here.Register now to secure your seat!

If we look at the USA, it’s not surprising that the majority of cannabis events will be happening in the state of California. Since the 1. of January it has become the sixth state to allow licensed shops to sell cannabis to anyone with an ID and according to Business Insider, the market is expected to hit $3.7 billion in 2018 alone, and that number will increase to over $5 billion in 2019.

The already established cannabis household state of Colorado will also be hosting several important events, as well as the states of Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, New York, Louisiana and Florida.

CannaCon Boston, 27-28 July, Boston Massachsets, USA

Join us in beautiful Boston for one of the industry’s most important events of the year.

Located in Boston’s historic Back Bay neighborhood, CannaCon is in the heart of one of America’s most vibrant communities. From world-class restaurants to a wide array of attractions, enjoy all that beautiful Boston has to offer! The connections you’ll make, coupled with the insights and actionable ideas you’ll develop, will positively impact your future in the industry.

Indo Expo, August 4-5, Portland Expo Center – Portland, OR, USA

Oregon’s enthusiasm and devotion for Cannabis has spawned an endless amount of business opportunities and with both medical and recreational sales legal, a focused B2B Show was needed. Portland, perfectly located on the West Coast, with it’s own industry infrastructure, brings a cache of people and pulls attendees from northern Californian, Washington, Canada and beyond. INDO EXPO offers the right platform-with over 300 Exhibitors and 5000 attendees. Join us for another stellar event featuring leading companies, breeders, growers/producers, processors and more.

CannMed 2018 is a gathering of the greatest minds in medical cannabis, where they will further the convergence of medical cannabis research, treatment, and product development.

The world’s top medical cannabis researchers will present their latest findings with regards to the efficacy of treating a variety of conditions with cannabis, including epilepsy, pain, traumatic brain injury, cancer, autism, and more. Physicians and clinicians will also share compelling case studies and clinical pearls they have collected through their experience treating patients with cannabis. Laboratory professionals will also share their revolutionary technologies when it comes to cannabinoid and terpenoid extraction, delivery methods, and quality and safety testing.